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Options:
All Standard Options for the Sport Edition---LOVE THE POWER SEATS!...finally standard on both sides
--also added the Valor Exhaust Tip...Auto Dimming mirror/compass...
--in dash six-disc cd changer....wish it had the 10 speakers..but...i like the mirrors in the rear once again very handy....
--homelink--
--115V AC Power outlet
Did you buy or lease ?
I'm kicking around getting an 05 or 06.
Thanks
Toyota said a rod linking the steering wheel and the wheels may fracture under conditions where the steering wheel is turned while the vehicle is stopped. Owners will be notified beginning in mid-September, the company said.
tidester, host
Thank you for the information. I have a 2003 V6 4 Runner. So what your saying is that the V6 does not need the timing belt changed because it has a timing chain?
My manual doesnt state anything about changing the timing belt, but when i called the dealer they said it needs changing at 60k to 90k. It would be great not to change it but it would be great to know it it does.
thank you,
Thanks
1. How are the mileage ratings for the V6 and V8?
2. Is it possible to get leather seating in either the Sport or SR5 editions?
3. How is the acceleration for the V6?
Thanks in advance for anyone who can help me out with these questions.
I drove both the V6 and the V8, the 6 cylinder engine is very nice, the accelaration is strong. If I have to take a guess, its around 0-60 in about 8 seconds or a bit less. The V8's accelaration is a bit better but not much, off the line, the V8 perform better than the V6 because of the torque. I believe the best 0-60 number for the V8 was tested at 7.2 seconds to 7.4 seconds. The V8 is quieter, which is to be expected, but the V6 will give you more than enough highway speed passing power for everyday driving.
Good Luck
The XREAS will actually reduce articulation offroad and, if you ever decide you want to install a lift, you'll just end up removing the XREAS anyway. You may be able to sell the XREAS, though, so this might not be that big of a negative. The hood scoop will reduce your visibility, meaning you'll need a more frequent spotter.
The V6 in the Toyota and the Pathfinder are pretty comparable, so you might consider the V6 4Runner if you were willing to go with the 6 in the Pathfinder and you aren't going to be pulling anything over 3-4000 lbs.
thanks
I've taken mine on two trips (one was 700+ miles, the other was 350 miles). On both trips, I got 22 MPG-24 MPG using cruise control......70 MPH-75 MPH.
In all city driving, I'm getting 18-19 MPG. It's not great MPG, but certianly better than I expected.
To me, the V6 has more than enough power. But, I don't tow anything either (which would be the only reason I could see to get a V8).
As for the rear seats, they do fold flat. Doing lots of home improvements lately and have had everything from an antique dresser to bales of pine straw in the back with no problems.
I suspect that may cure you of your desire for the 4Runner.
Whatever you decide to get, I strongly suggest that you run the numbers on what your fuel cost will be. I'm getting about 18 mpg on my V8 4Runner, but I do mostly highway miles. Stop and go will dramatically reduce mileage. At 15,000 miles per year and $3.00 per gallon, that's $2500 per year. If the LandCruiser got 15 mpg, that would cost $3000 per year.
Do you really need an off-road capable vehicle? If you do, great, keep looking at SUVs. If not, then a minivan would be much cheaper, get better mileage, have a lot more room, and be easier for the kids to get in and out (lower step in height and easier third row access). If you are worried about performance in snow, just get a good set of snow tires.
Personally, I need the offroad capability of my 4Runner for hunting and fishing. But I think most people who buy SUVs would be better off with a station wagon or minivan.
As far as the used Land Cruiser, consider it a used car and price it accordingly. Only $10,000 off sounds expensive to me at first blush.
The new 4Runners are truly magnificent mid-sized SUVs, but in my opinion they simply don't have enough interior space to easily and safely accomodate two adults along with several growing kids and their friends, not to mention cargo, pets, mother-in-laws, etc. Rather, the 4Runner is perhaps better thought of as more of a "personal" SUV.
If you want to invest in the legendary reliability and engineering of a Toyota; and, if you have your heart set on an SUV rather than a minivan (very understandable), my suggestion would be to consider either the Sequoia (a truck-based SUV) or perhaps the Highlander (which is based on a stretched and modified car frame). However, neither of these SUVs will be quite as convenient and functional with kids as a Sienna minivan.
If you're lusting after the 2004 Land Cruiser demo, and you're fully prepared to pay the price of the demo, you might do better buying a new (or newer) Sequoia. If you decide to go for the Land Cruiser demo, I would walk away from the deal if it doesn't include a full "as new" factory warranty, as well as an option to buy Toyota's Platinum, 100,000 mile extended warranty. (I'm a believer in extended warranties if we plan to keep the vehicle for a long time.)
Good luck, and keep us posted!
One thing I was curious about was on how the Limited models, the X-REAS (I think that's what it's called?) is optional. Everyone writes glowing reviews about it, saying how it improves the suspension vastly, helps with turning, body roll, etc. If it's so good, then why is it only an option on the Limited, and not standard as in the Sport edition?
Does anyone own a 4runner without the X-REAS? I have yet to test-drive a 4runner , I've only sat in one. Based on what I've read, it seems the X-REAS is a must for city driving, which is where I'll be doing most of my driving anyways. Any thoughts on this? Are there pros and cons to having the X-REAS?
Thanks in advance to anyone with any information.
Good luck and let us know!
My advice is to test drive them both and make the call yourself.
Good Luck
We plan to put our kid (kids?) in the 3rd row only when we have a carful of adults, none of whom are game enough to fold themselves up in the back. If we had to have them in the back all of the time, I don't think we would go this route and would opt for the minivan instead.
V8 vs. V6. We might tow a small sailboat from time-to-time, probably not enough to merit the V8. Besides, aren't the V8 engines a fairly new thing? Seems like I just started seeing them this year...are we to believe (as the Toyota rep was trying to convince me) that the V6 doesn't provide enough power for towing or "serious" offroading?
(Side note: The dealer did not have any V6 4Runners on his lot. He also didn't have any Highlanders other than the 4x2 and was kind enough to let us know that they weren't real offroad vehicles anyway and we would be better off without the 4WD. I loved all this...if he hadn't had any 4x2s, I am sure the 4x4s would have been the only thing worth living for. )
We are living in Hawaii right now and one motivation for purchasing the Toyota now rather than waiting until we get back to the mainland in a year or two is that all the Toyotas here are actually manufactured in Japan. I have heard scuttlebutt that the Japanese made Toyotas are even better than the already excellent American made Toyotas. Does anyone have any comments on this notion?
Once we select a vehicle, I am basing my offer on the Consumer Reports New Car Buying kit information. I suspect that the prices here in Hawaii are higher than on the mainland, but don't know for sure. Anyone have any input? Obviously I want the best possible deal, so I need as much info as possible.
Gas was just under $4 / gallon here on Maui last week, thankfully a little lower this week. The Prius and other hybrids are practically jumping off the lots while the SUVs are moving a little slow...thinking this will probably help us get a better deal.
Nice forum, thanks in advance!
As for the V8, the basic block has been around for quite a long time, much longer than the V6. They did just add variable valve timing to it, boosting the HP. Toyota has been doing variable valve timing for many years, so I would not worry the fact that it is new on the V8.
The V6 will get a bit better mileage than the V8.
As for towing, you MUST find out how heavy your sailboat and trailer are. What is "small" to you may be "large" to someone else. Find out the weight of sailboat and trailer and compare that with the rated towing capacity of the V6 and V8 4Runner. The V8's towing capacity is much higher, but if you don't need that much...
I thought I had read that the 2006 V6 4Runners don't come with a towing hitch, but I don't have direct knowledge. So check up on that. The V8 does come with a trailer hitch.
All 4Runners are made in Japan, including the ones sold in the mainland US.
As for "serious" offroading, first, are you likely to do any? Second, the V6 is fine for as serious offroading as you are likely to do with a stock 4Runner (ground clearance is not all that great). Sounds like the salesman was just trying to sell you what he had on the lot.
If you don't need to take it offroad and you won't be towing, then you might want to reconsider a minivan -- it will give you much more room and better mileage as well.
If you are going to keep it for ten years, then you may want the fuel savings you'll get with the V6, especially if gasoline keeps going up. It is only in the 10-15% range according to the EPA, but for me driving 15,000 miles a year, that is $300-450/year.
And it looks like Toyota is having trouble selling the V8s lately so they may not hold their resale value as well as the 6.
My mention of serious offroading was basically just a jibe at the salesman: he did indeed have a reason why we would not need or want every feature that he did not have in a vehicle on his lot.
We do light offroading: easy trails in Colorado and dirt roads that are just past what would turn back a sedan; I have no desire to get myself hung up in a mess in the back country somewhere...if it's that bad, we hike it.
Don't have the boat yet and won't until we are back on the mainland. We're talking Hobie Cat or some sort of small "trailer sailer".
The towing package is standard on the V8, optional on the V6, fyi.
Even though we only plan to use that 3rd row every once in a while, we'll take another look at the minivan. If we really need 4WD that bad, we could always use my 98 Tacoma TRD and fold the child up in the XtraCab...I fit, so will she. ;-)
Heck, all that said, last night my wife took a look at a loaded 2006 Camry XLE and *really* likes it. The 4Runner may end up waiting until my TRD dies or gets too ugly to drive to town, which could be many years, the way it is going (I already have a nice farm retirement planned for it).
The only reason I would get the limited is for the leather and the premium sound system. I don't really care much about the leather, but the stereo is a big deal.
Anyone have a 4runner with the base stereo? Is it worth it to get limited for the comfort of leather and premium sound? Thing is, I just love that hood scoop and the tubular side rails!
Thanks!
The base stereo is a piece of junk! It's only 14 watts or so. What many have done is to buy a Scion radio and switch it out. A question.............If leather is not that important, why not buy a Sport and just upgrade the radio? It can be done for a lot less money. That being said, you can even get after market leather for around $1,500.00 OR SO. IT IS STILL CHEAPER THAN A LIMITED!
This truck is GREAT! Thanks again for all the help, I really appreciate it!
Did I mention this truck is great????
Please take a couple of minutes and provide some details about your deal in the Toyota 4Runner: Prices Paid & Buying Experience discussion. Thanks!
Steve, Host
The first signs of trouble were intermittant and involved the moonroof not always tilting, opening and closing properly. Until recently, I could fiddle with the switch and eventually get it to function properly for a time, but last Friday it finally gave out and became stuck in the fully open position. (Thankfully, it was not raining at the time, I was on my way home from work, and I own a home with a fully enclosed garage.)
Anyhow, last Saturday I drove my 4Runner to my dealer (it was raining lightly at the time!) and they said that until they could speak with Toyota today, they wouldn't know whether my Toyota Platinum (100,000 mile) extended warranty (~$950.00) would cover the cost of repairing the moonroof. However, the service advisor mentioned that to the best of his recollection, Toyota's standard factory warranty has tended to provide rather poor coverage of moonroof problems, and that the extended warranty would be an open question until they could consult Toyota about this issue.
Well, today I received a call from my dealer (Toyota Direct in New Albany, OH.) and I was informed that my Platinum extended warranty does indeed cover the entire cost of repairing my 4Runner's moonroof. The problem reportedly involved several cables, pulleys, etc., and the necessary parts are now on order.
Now then, on to my real point: Here at this Edmunds.com forum, I've previously recommended purchasing Toyota's Platinum extended warranty, depending on how long one plans to own the vehicle. In response, several forum members have opined that given the legendary reliability of Toyota's vehicles, the Platinum, 100,000 mile, extended warranty is probably unnecessary, particularly if one doesn't plan to own the vehicle beyond the terms of the factory warranty. (My experience here would seem to indicate that the Platinum extended warranty covers potentially costly items not included in the factory warranty!)
Thus far, my dealer has logged ~3-4 hours of labor (at a cost of ~$75.00/hour) just to diagnose the problem and to begin ordering the necessary parts; even more parts and labor may be required to fully fix my truck's moonroof, not to mention any storage fees required to keep my vehicle stored in the shop, protected from the weather. Moreover, my Platinum extended warranty is once again providing me with a free loaner vehicle for as long as it takes to complete repairs on my truck.
So, begin to think about how much money it would otherwise end up costing me to have all of this service rendered and completed (ie, labor, parts, shop fees, loaner vehicle, etc.) and I'll bet that my extended warranty will have paid for itself with this problem alone, and I still have another 55,000 miles of excellent, extended warranty coverage coming to me, should I need it.
I rest my case.
Here is what changed my mind about the Toyota Extended Warranty: just two weeks ago I took delivery of an '06 Toyota Avalon Limited. I spent a lot of time over on the Avalon board, and they are a very active bunch just like the 4-Runner fans. I put all of the toys on the Avy, including NAV (my first NAV system...) and Remote Start and Laser Cruise, etc etc etc. I still wasn't going to buy the warranty until we started signing all of the papers. Have to admit, after they made me a little deal on the 6yr/100K version that I changed my mind. This vehicle has so many electronics and gadgets and features that I really worried about the possible repair costs down the road. Some folks have mentioned the $4K replacement cost for the NAV system, for example. Ouch! So I bit the bullet and bought the extended warranty, and I don't regret the purchase. A lot depends on how long you project the vehicle will be kept in the family, and both the 4-Runner and the Avy will be keepers. That's why I am thinking about buying it also for the wife's 4-Runner.
Your mileage may vary, you may have a different view and that's great... I just think for me the piece of mind is now worth it, and Kurt's experience with his moonroof just underscores that point. Just wanted to share my changed view! Mike
Otherwise it buys piece of mind. However, the average buyer will not get his/her money back out of the purchase price of the warranty. It is like any other form of insurance in that, in the aggregate, the manufacturer makes money on the warranty and thus does not expect to make repears equal to the purchase price. The average buyer loses some money on the transaction and a (un)lucky few actually come out ahead.
Also, those electronic gadgets are likely the most reliable thing on a new vehicle -- that is unless its a German vehicle. For some reason the German vehicles have very poor reliability with their electronics. Probably has something to do with their tendancy to go overboard on complexity.
A lot of the folks over on the Avalon 2005+ forum have addressed this issue, with good results. You can buy the "official" Toyota Platinum Extended Warranty from most any Toyota dealer, regardless of where you bought you new Toyota. Some of the dealers even sell through the Internet, and they sell the Platinum 100K mile warranty for around $995.00, which retails for $1695.00. I would check into that option. In my opinion, I would NOT buy any third party warranty, especially one that makes you pay up front and then beg for reimbursement. Go with the official Toyota version. If you need a source let me know. The Avalon crowd seems to like a dealer in Maryland that sells a lot of Platinum warranties for the low buck price of $995.00 or so... PS I used this dealer and his Web sale to get my local dealer down to close to the $995.00 price. Might help you out also.
Mike
It's almost better to get a 2005 V8 now with the huge rebates or the 2006 V6.